Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 23 September 1949 — Page 1

k - (4

w

FORECAST: Fair, cooler, scattered light frost tonight, Fair, cool tom orrow. Fair, rising temperatures Sunday.

The Indianapolis Times

FINAL HOME

" PRICE FIVE CENTS

Eotered as Second-Class Matter at Postofoce Indianapolis, Ind. Issued Dally

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1949

prs mow] 60th YEAR—NUMBER 195

"en

| U.S. Acts To Make As Russia

|

¥ i

ore A-Bombs ns Fire Atomic Explosion

Truman Bares Blast Within Recent Weeks

"Reveals Red Success With Bomb After Meeting With Cabinet

By MERRIMAN. SMITH and JOSEPH L. MYLER United Press Stall ts

Corresponden WASHINGTON, Sept. 23—President Truman today shattered the illusion of an American A-bomb monopoly with announcement that the Russians recently set off an |atomic explosion. His brief, calmly phrased disclosure also exploded the widely held notion that the United States still had several |years of grace before the Soviet giant could produce the most destructive weapon ever made by man. Most U.S. defense officials had put the deadline year, when America’s cold war enemy finally would be poised for an all-out atomic armaments race, at 1951 at the earliest. Not before 1952, they said, could Russia begin to manufacture nuclear weapons in quantity. The President gave no indication as to whether Russia has got to the place where she can manufacture A-bombs, He did not indicate whether U. 8. intelligence knows the extent of Russia's atomic developments. Have Evidence of Explosion But he told the people: “We have evidence that within recent weeks an atomie

'|explosion occurred in the USSR.”

There was no panic in the President's anfouncement. If he had in mind the repeated warnings of scientists that the atomic bomb gives man the power to destroy his civilization, he did not say so. But he did say: “This recent development emphasizes once again, if indeed such emphasis were needed, the necessity for that truly effective enforceable international control of atomil

"|energy which this government and the large majority of

the members of the United Nations support.” The Russians, pouring all their knowledge and re« sources into an atomic project of their own, have repeatedly refused to join in a world compact to police the atom. : Reveals Details to Cabinet = ~ Mr. Truman revealed the Soviet success in achieving an atomic blast after a meeting of the Cabinet at which he told his partners in the government “all the details.” He said he was making his electrifying knowledge

U. S. to Make More Bombs, McMahon Renews Blast Reported Last July, Increase Civilian Defense 'Mecting Proposal London Sources Disclose

Security Now Rests in Greater Stockpile; Two Stations Recorded Earth Tremors Suggests Truman,

Stronger Alaska Defense Also Planned In Asia; Huge Forest Fires Followed By MARSHALL MeNEIL, Scripps-Howard Staff Writer Stalin Confer Soon v LONDON, Sept. 23 (UP)—Informed military sources said toWASHINGTON, Sept. 23-—Congre: mov oda | ay that U. 8. military quarters reported last July to Western Eu-| Pp gress oved t y to WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (UP) ropean union military authorities that the {—Chairman Brien McMahon of explod#sn” in Russia.

increase our production of atomic weapons. This was on the theory that Joss of our atomic monop- | the Congressional Atomic Energy | Informants said the recording did not reveal whether the ex-

~ Oak Ridge Scene Of Hasty Parleys

Atomic Commission ‘Officials Confer

| (UP

y had recorded “an atomic| OAK RIDGE, Tenn. Sept. 23| 4 : )—President Truman's an-|that exploded in Russia generating a shock wave certain to

public because the American people “are entitled to be informed of all developments in the field of atomic energy.” It was the most sensational aninouncemént by an Amer« ican President since that day in August, 1945, when Mr, Truman, aboard a cruiser returning from Potsdam, an nounced through the White House that an atomic bomb equivalent to more than 20,000 tons of TNT had been dropped on Japan. \ : The President did not say that it was an atomic bomb

An atomgic explosion is some|thing that can't be set off merely by striking a spark. It requires the most elaborate and complex kind of detonating

— Defense Secretary son said:

|atomic explosion, that this] The Secrets Ty. underscored ins

{intention of playing it up. Asked

; : : . Committee today renewed hi | A \nouncement that Russia set off|be felt in capitals all over the world. | oly to Russia means our security now rests in large part|gestion that President Truman | Pe meee ant a perimental blast. lan atomic explosion sent Atomic|. P ¢ m on possession by us of an.“overwhelmingly greater” Stock- mest with Russian Premier Josef iom through various rors | 2 C ” |Energy Commission officials at| Requires Elaborate Eqyipmen i . —— ALE L oka m " _ . 2 ’ ors pile of atomic bombs. me w made atomic explosion.” tirougheut Fein wong ot . Je: oint ongress this birthplace of the A-bomb| But he didn't have to. ralue, The President’s announce-| eekin At | . The Connecticut Democratic|ine sources Trad vn : [scurrying behind closed doors toof de- ment of an atomic explosion v"* ¥* Senator originally made the sug-| “on 5 gingle day in July, the [827 10r Cotterunces, . - ! a t . |gestion yesterday, buf at the time | ¢ 11owin Ry recorded ex- Tol ssSem es { The officials were expected to| : : : losi the d 98¢ in the USSR also is expected Mr. Truman declined comment. g ) [produce a statement as soon as/equipment. If Russia has an atomic explosive and the de- . { — { traordinary earth tremors in . ; : i : by some to result in Congress giv-| lISS Sen. McMahon sald the an-|Asia: | WASHINGTON. Sept. 23 (up) |the hurriedly summoned confer-| vices for making it explode, she has the essentials of a bomb, ing the Air Force the full appro- {nouncement of Russia's progress| ONE: The Zurich meteorologi- | ! » Spl, al 7 lence ended. ’ | It was this ve detonating] mp priation it asked. The House did| LONDON, Sept. 23 (UP)—The |" the atomic field-should. speed cal station in Switzerland, which |—1ne Joint Congressional Atomic| News of the announcement| - ry « +. |the world? this, the Senate cut down the Air ’ . United Nations efforts for inter-|reported an earthquake “some-|Energy Committee was called in-/found Oak Ridge peacefully at/device, ahd the so-called crit: Lous John | or of Force money. - The two bills i |r radio said tonight the Bationy) control of the atomic where in Asia.” (to emergency session today to re-| Work producing the stuff that is/jcal” size and shape of the| “No.” are in conference. United States still was trying to/Pomb.. | TWO: The Atlantian research | ro, . the guts of the bomb—uranium-| 5. $Fent 3 It also will spur action here to(aggyre its “monopoly” in the| Sen. McMahan informed his|center in London, whose corre- View M1. Traman's dnnouncetiettion,. plus hundreds of radioactive hs 3 of provide us with some sort ofl, on of atom bombs committee of President Truman's spondents in eastern Iran report- that Russia has produced an isotopes which for months have country thought was its most nouncement. - He said he had no civilian atomic defense, and prob-| y . janpouncement at a meeting to-jed a “violent earthquake” in Rus- atomic explosion. been funneled to 22 foreign na- vital and best-kept secret plug. ably will speed up work on the] Moscow broadcast a Tass/day. He told reporters that he|sid™near the border of eastern| It was not known immediately | tions for use in medical and! P .

Bolster Alaska Defenses (Washington: on the forthcoming) Another result probably will be] Angld - American - Canadian| strengthening our defenses in|Atomic Conference. Alaska; over which, some military| Although technical informamen believe, an _ attack might|tion probably will be exchanged, come. it said, the--United States will The White House announcement not share any atomic “informaalso is certain to effect the de-|tion of military significance.” cision of the conference commit-| It was the first Soviet refer-

President of the development at|caused one half of a mosque in| the White House yesterday after- Meshed to collapse. noon, but that no other Senators] Forest Fires Followed ‘had been so informed. “| A few days later, this military! ‘There is no question in my Source said, huge forest fires in mind but that a man-made atomic|Soviet ‘territory were explosion occurred in the USSR,”|from the same area. Sen. McMahon said. Lui HAE ming that it is in Acting Chairman ) 8 area tha e Russians have Pike ne, AID Ee re a hydro-electric plant for their

joined the committee, or -exactly , what the committee would dis- Some Lie Within Orbit cuss specifically, | Some of the recipient nations But it was recalled that Com-|lle within the Russian orbit, inmittee Chairman Brien McMahon cluding Finland, Norway, Turkey reported (p - Conn.) yesterday urged and Iceland. {President Truman to meet with| It was these shipments which

Prices

Moscow, If necessary, . |Senate Atomic Energy Committee

radar screen around our country.News Agency dispatch from|Was informed personally by the Iran. This report said the shock whether government officials had|scientific research and therapy. |

Russian Premier Josef Stalin, .in|aroused a ruckus when the House-|

|{if this is the first time Russia

| But scientists had warned 100g hag made the atom explode, Mr, |ago that it was not the kind of 5onngon replied:

[secret that can be kept. Ever| «Ng comment.” | since man learned in 1939 how to Terrific Explosion

make an atom of uranium split lin two, changing a part of its, That it was a terrific explosion, Imass into sheer blind energy, 'D Physical fact as well as po'|litically and psychologically, was

skilled men everywhere have had| all the fundamental knowledge Ndicated by the very fact that {it was recorded.

(they needed to make the most Even the most delicate of blast

tee on the program of military assistance to our -alliés in the North Atlantic Pact. The Senate has given practically the full amount asked for arming the countries in western Europe that would have to meet the first onslaughts of the Red army. The House version of the bill provided somewhat less money. It is also expected that the Truman revelation will put Taw life into atomic conferences in progress between us and Great Britain and Canada.

ence to atomics in any form after the announcement of evidence that an atomic explosion had occurred in Russia.

mission fold reporters that the atomic high command Knew about the explosion at least on Wednesday. At that time Chairman Divid E. Lilienthal was telephoned from Washington and “briefed” from his vacation retreat at Martha's Vineyard, Mass. Mr. Lilfenthal now is incommunicado there, Pike said, because he has

Scattered Frost

Possible Tonight LOCAL TEMPERATURES 6a m... 48 10 a. m... 55 [no telephone. Ta m... 45 lla m,.. 55 . rm. B Noam): un. [Report Probably

|Correct, Osborn Says

|atomic experiments,” the source |said, “it may be possible that | thelr 2 bomb went off halfThe authoritative military {source said that by “half-cocked" {he meant that “it may very well (have gone off by mistake.” “Most significant,” he said, “was the fact that up until the time of the reported blast the Russians had been boasting of their advance in atomic experiments. They have made no such boasts since July.”

Committee aids took extraor-/was investigating “incredible misdinary precautions to vell the management, charges against meeting. The blinds of the com- AEC Chairman David E. Lilienmittee room were drawn, appar-| thal, ently to prevent an accounting But Mr. Lilienthal and the two of those present. |other atomic commissioners in-

———————————————_ sisted that the make-up’ of the Soviet Delegate

(radioisotope is such that Russia, Refuses to Comment

or any other foreign power “into whose hands they might fall, FLUSHING, N. Y., Sept. 93|never would discover the secret (UP)—8oviet Delegate Amazasp A. Arutiunian declined to com-

of the atomic bomb from them. Nobody here knows how much of the uranium-235 produced here finally winds up in. the atomic

| deadly weapon in the history of | wars.

The immediate question was: {How many bombs has Russia (made, how many can she make, (to what far corners of the earth {could she deliver them? Atom Race On The President did not say or even hint whether he knows the answer, But he could not hope to conceal the obvious fact that the atomic armaments race is on, Whether this. country can maintain the lead it obviously has, thé future will determine.

detecting instruments cannot spot an explosion at a distance unless it is of a tremendous order of magnitude. roa U. 8. seismic equipment in the spring of 1948 recorded at Truk atoll in the western Pacific an atomic blast set off by American

scientists at Eniwetok atoll some =

800 miles away. : There was no announcement on how the United States learned of the Russian nuclear explosion or where the blast took place. Presumably the Russians set

ment today on President Tru-|

man’s anhouncement of an atom-|Pomb. Or at least they won't say.

These involve not only the di-- Jack Frost tonight may follow gv usHING N | osion , N. Y. Sept. 23 A ‘Scare Story,’ | ry, Jans tn Touaain. That information is classified as

vision of uranium ore—whenceithe first day of fall into Indian- (UP)—Gen. Frederick Osborn Som he Io Nomis polis A Sun Bares hd), permanent U, 8, representative Martin Charges 1 The United Nations - delegate] 107 Motel tion between American and| Scattered light frost and crisp|or. the United Nations Atemic| WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (UP) [listened with a smile when in Times Ind Ey British atomic scientists. The|38- to 40-degree temperatures Energy Commission, said today|—House Republican Leader Joseph formed of thé announcement] es index President’s announcement doubt-| “poije @ he had no doubt that the report W. Martin Jr. (Mass.), today took | then said: | Amusements 24 (Mrs. Manners 26 Jess also will provoke discussion, ollen count.....69 per cu._yd. of an atomic . explosion in Rus-/the announcement of a Russian| “I have no comment. I have Bridge ..... 19 Marriage ... 26 about further stockpiling of our| Were forecast to acompany fai la “is correct. |atomic explosion as a “scare” heard this statement for the first Comics ..... 35/Novel ...... 27 atomic weapons in Britain and: “I "know we are equipped to story that should be backed up| time.” : e Editorials .. 10 Othman .... 9

explosion in a place sufficiently remote to keep down the hazard to human beings. It has been speculated that their atomic plant lies far behind the

But U. 8. atomic officials ever since the war have anticipated the fact that Russia one day would have the bomh and have poured their energies and the resources of their $3 billion atomic project into the task of piling up bombs and [Raking them ever more powerful. y

. elsewhere.

It was Sen. Brien McMahon

(D. Conn.) chairman of the Joint|the coolest weather since spring. |we would know within a few

Atomic Energy Committee, who on Tuesday of this week gave a

(Continued on Page 3—Col. 1)

and slightly - cooler weather tonight. _|knbw,” he said. “I said in the Fall arrived this morning with Atomic Energy Commission that

A cold air mass out of Canadajhours, from the change in the sent temperatures tumbling tolamount of radiation in the at45 at 7 a. m. today, lowest since last May 25. : different points.”

mosphere. We have observers at

by more official information, | “We need more information be{fore we can get alarmed over the President's announcement,” Mr. Martin told newsmen. ‘-. “He has either spoken too much to the hill,” :

“Are you surprised?” he was Fashions ... 22{Radio «..... 25 asked. 3 Food 22 Ruark ..... 9 “There is no surprise under the Forum ..... sun,” he replied. . ‘|{Gardening ,. ‘Russian Foreign Minister An-|Hollywood .. 24|Earl Wilson. 36 drei Y. Vishinsky was not avail-/In Indpls.,.. 3(Weather Map 12 able for comment immediately, |Inside Indpls, 9 Women's ... 19

Cater 10/8ide Glances 10 20 Sports ...28-20

At the conclusion of today's cabinet meeting, as the members emerged from the. White House reporters besieged ' them with \questions. They got few an-

swers.- But to one question—had|

the United States ordered a redisposition

of its. forces around!